Protect yourself from identity burglars Published Aug. 8, 2008 By Capt. Rose Richeson 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Identity theft continues to pose a threat to U.S. military members, and most recently Airmen stationed in England have been the target location. Stars and Stripes reported Aug. 7 that 66 victims reported losses totaling $37,917 at Royal Air Force Lakenheath from July 5 to Aug. 5. Approximately 150 identity theft incidents totaling about $70,000 were reported within the RAF Mildenhall and Lakenheath communities in the past month, according to Air Force investigators. Thieves spent $650 on a shopping spree at Bloomingdale's in New York City and more than $1,100 at various Canadian businesses using money stolen from just two cases of identity theft reported in the past month within Air Force communities in England. The first reports of identity theft in the U.S. date back to the early 1990s, but it wasn't until 1998 that a federal law was passed to identify the problems associated with this crime. The "Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998" encompasses the crime, identity theft, and breaks it down into smaller categories. Financial Identity Theft, what RAF Lakenheath members recently experienced, is using another's name and social security number to obtain goods and services. When people gather enough personal information they can assume individual's identity and apply for credit cards and loans thereby damaging the credit rating of the victim. In 2003, the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act amended the U.S. code, and made knowingly transferring, possessing or using any means of identification without lawful authority a federal crime, along with the unlawful possession of identification documents. There are several precautions to prevent identity theft. "One of the best mechanisms for prevention is to check credit reports and online banking transactions for unauthorized use," said Capt. Lee Sanderson, 39th Air Base Wing assistant staff judge advocate. To stay current on your personal accounts, Captain Sanderson recommends checking your credit report annually. In addition to monitoring credit reports, computer users should be leery when surfing the Internet. Phishing Web sites are disguised to look like a legitimate site people regularly visit. Phishing Web sites use deception to gather personal information to include account numbers and passwords. When accessing reputable Web sites use bookmark features to visit the site again. This cuts down the likelihood of encountering a fake or fraudulent Web site in the future. When inputting account numbers or other personal information online make sure the Web site has a yellow padlock on the bottom of the screen. This padlock indicates it is an encrypted, secure site. The 39th Security Forces Squadron Investigations Office is responsible for tracking possible identity theft for Incirlik members and has only received one report in the past six months. On average Incirlik records show that about one case a year is reported to 39th SFS investigators. The majority of those cases were directly related to Internet usage in which individuals' information was gathered by computer hackers from unsecure Web sites. The Federal Government offers a Web site for filing complaints of suspected identification theft at www.ftc.gov. To learn more about identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft for details on how to contact and provide information to the authorities for processing complaints. Tips to avoid identity theft: - Pay attention to billing cycles; missed statements can be a warning. - Before revealing any personal information, such as a Social Security number, find out how it will be used and whether it will remain confidential. - Guard your mail from theft by requesting a vacation hold when you are not going to be around. - Put passwords on your credit card, bank and other accounts, and avoid easily identifiable passwords. - Do not give out personal information over the phone or Internet unless you have initiated the contact and know with whom you're dealing. - Keep items with personal information such as Common Access Cards, bank statements, Social Security cards, charge receipts and credit card applications in a secure place. - Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies once a year. Make sure it is accurate and includes only authorized transactions. - Use established international bank ATMs in well-lit and populated areas.